


These Little Differences

by tactfulGnostalgic



Series: The Sun We Know [3]
Category: Homestuck
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-28
Updated: 2016-12-28
Packaged: 2018-09-12 18:49:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,459
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9085255
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tactfulGnostalgic/pseuds/tactfulGnostalgic
Summary: This isn't the first time you've been turned down, but it's the first time you've had the pleasure of being turned down by Calliope.
You think that this could have been a cute romance, maybe your first real one, if things had been a little different. But after all, they're not.





	

iii.

Dirk tosses a pen at the back of your head and it hits, as it always does, with unerring accuracy. You spin around to glare, but his gaze is focused on the professor, the picture of dutiful scholarship. You curl your lip a little bit and prepare a projectile of your own, but then the professor calls on you, and you have to summon all your powers of bullshittery to convince him that you know the answer. The truth is that macroeconomics is mind-numbingly simplistic to you and Dirk both; you could have passed it in high school, but decided to take biomechanics instead. But the professor doesn't know that.

You open pesterchum and open a chat with Dirk. 

TT: Coming to class today was an exceedingly poor decision. He's talking about international mergers, now, and I might just shove this pen through my own eye if you don't distract me.  
TG: damn dirk TG: how u gonna make robots w only one eye  
TG: lookin like a pirate ass motherfucker  
TG: we could get u an orange eyepatch  
TG: wed have to cut off ur leg to match tho  
TG: just to keep that aesthetique consistent u know wat i mean  
TG: cant be goin around halfassin that kinda shit  
TG: holy shit can u imagine wearin an eyepatch AND shades  
TG: and i thought u were extra before  
TT: Well, now I've got an idea for my Halloween costume.  
TG: fuck yes  
TG: u already got that ninja shit down  
TG: probably got a katana sittin up in ur dorm for all i know  
TG: but pirate ninjas thats the real shit bruh  
TG: show up everyone on campus with that shit  
TG: roll up to the costume party like hey wassup bitches im ur new king  
TT: An excellent proposal.  
TT: You could be the parrot.  
TG: r u kiddin me id be ur first mate ninjapirate bffsie  
TG: u could lend me one of ur swords  
TG: for the record do u actually have swords  
TT: I can neither confirm nor deny.   
TT: But I will say that campus security, for all their virtues, have notoriously deep pockets, and I have a notoriously rich brother.  
TG: holy fcuk  
TG: *fuck  
TG: actually now that i think about it no fcuk is exactly the kinda expression i wanted belay that asterisk soldier  
TT: Aye aye, captain.

You crane your neck to grin at him. He doesn't smile back, exactly, but he does a kind of scrunch-thing with half of his mouth, which you've learned is his equivalent.

TT: Don't look now, but I think you have a stalker.  
TG: k first of all  
TG: u cant tell me smthn like that and then expect me not to look  
TG: u get that rite  
TG: now where r they  
TT: Mistake acknowledged.  
TT: Two rows up, four seats over. She's been casting you furtive glances for the better part of an hour.  
TG: ohoho relaly  
TG: whats she look like mmmm??  
TT: What, do you want me to take a picture?  
TT: I can't just whip out my phone and snap a quickie.  
TG: its what id do for u and u fukin know it  
TG: now r u my friend or arent u  
TT: . . .  
TT: . . .  
TT: thethingsidoforyou.jpg  
TG: <3 <3 <3  
TG: oooh shes pretty

She  _is_ pretty, with a mint green hijab and a long, elegant nose. Dirk caught her in the midst of one of said furtive glances, so she stares out of the frame curiously, her face sharp with interest.

TG: goddamn i hit the stalker jackpot  
TG: u think u can grab me her number  
TT: Friendship only goes so far, Rox.  
TG: yea i guessed  
TG: idk if ive seen her b4  
TT: She's attended a few classes. This is the first time I've been seated close enough to notice.  
TT: I could tell her to knock it off, if you're uncomfortable.  
TG: no!! dont threaten the pretty stalker  
TG: shes not doin anythin creepy  
TG: hey is my hair ok  
TT: No, you forgot to brush it.   
TG: wow thanks  
TG: dirk strider ace wingman  
TT: One of my many titles and talents.  
TT: Are you going to ask her out?  
TG: look distri this isnt rocket science ok this is simple math  
TG: rolal = single  
TG: girl = hot  
TG: rolal + girl = lots of funtimes  
TG: QED  
TT: Of course. How could I have been so blind?  
TT: The answer was in front of me all along. I was just too unenlightened to understand.  
TG: s ok sunglasses we all have these moments of obtusity

The professor dismisses class, then, and you're up in a flash, swinging your bag over your shoulder and making a beeline for the girl's row. Dirk, ever the gentleman, clears out quick and leaves you to chat her up in peace. God bless him.

You wait until she's got all her stuff packed up to make your move. "Hey," you call. "Come here often?"

She looks up, blinks, furrows her brow. "Yes?" She tilts her head. "I take this class?"

"Yeah, uh, I - I know. It was a joke."

"Oh. Oh!" She laughs. "Sorry. I'm bad at that kind of thing."

"Well, it was a bad joke." You lean on her table. "What's your major?"

"Astrophysics with a minor in Fine Arts. What's yours?"

"That's a helluva workload. Comp sci, by the way."

Her eyes light up. "I know someone over there. Do you know Sollux Captor?"

"Yeah, yeah! Oh, that dude's hilarious."

"Quite - my roommate's a friend of his, she has all these stories -"

"Did you hear about the time he sent a friend a virus that basically destroyed his computer? What an asshole."

"Absolutely! I heard her on the phone with him about it - it was apparently unintentional -"

You throw back your head and laugh. "Holy shit, that's the best thing. He went around bragging that he did it on purpose, but that's so much better. He fucked up. Classic Sol."

She giggles. "Does he ever actually leave the computer lab?"

"Never. I'm pretty sure he lives there, gets some of the freshmen to bring him McDonald's when he's hungry."

"I'd believe it." She smiles broadly, extending her hand. "Calliope Umbra."

"Roxy Lalonde," you say, shaking it. "Nice to meet you."

"And you."

"So," you say, trying and failing to be casual. "You seem cool. Do you want to grab a drink?" At her alarmed look, you add hastily, "Like, coffee, or tea or something, obvi, not like - I don't do that kinda thing, I'm twenty."

"Oh, of course - I didn't think that you would - that's not what I meant. Did you mean like a date?"

You keep your hands behind your back to hide your fidgeting. "Yeah, like a date."

"Right." She looks rather miserable; your heart sinks, and you wonder how you misread the situation. "I - I would love to; nothing would make me happier, actually, but - I don't want to lead you on. I can't do that kind of thing. You see, I'm leaving - I'm transferring. Got a flight tomorrow. My brother is in a - he's in a bad place, right now, and I'm moving back home to be closer to him." She shrinks in on herself, and adds, "Home is rather far away, I'm afraid."

"So far you couldn't visit?"

"Two plane rides and a three-hour drive far."

"Oh. Okay." You consider going for it anyway; it's not like you haven't had one-night-stands before, and she's cute and she's funny and you bet you'd have a great time. But that's the problem - you're not good at casual flings, and you're certainly not good at long-distance relationships, and you don't want to hurt her. She's too nice, and you're too clingy, and you bet it could have worked out, if things had been a little different. But they aren't.

"It was great to meet you, anyway," you say, picking up your bag and heading for the door. She walks with you. "And if you're ever back in town - I'll give you my pesterchum handle, hold on -" You scrawl your handle on a piece of paper and hand it to her. She takes it reverently. "Hit me up. I'm serious."

"I will," she promises. "No, I really will."

"Cool." You shove your hands in your pockets. "Wish you all the best."

"Likewise," she says, and hesitates. Then she lurches forward and plants a kiss on your cheek. 

Blushing furiously, she whirls around and runs away, clinging to her bag. But you don't move. By and by, you touch your cheek, and smile softly at her receding footsteps.

If things had been a little different, you think. But they aren't.


End file.
